informant

noun

in·​for·​mant in-ˈfȯr-mənt How to pronounce informant (audio)
Synonyms of informantnext
: a person who gives information: such as
a
: informer
b
: one who supplies cultural or linguistic data in response to interrogation by an investigator

Synonyms of informant

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Examples of informant in a Sentence

The police were alerted to the plot by a paid informant. We learned the language with the help of a native informant.
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The informant gave Buchanan money and a phone that was tapped by the FBI, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo. — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Sguros was listed as the informant on West’s death certificate, and several months after the initial death investigation, was legally authorized to release West’s remains to a cremation service business. — Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026 Overton, however, claimed that both informants were lying — and that the semen found on the comforter was planted on the scene by a spurned ex-lover with connections to the police department. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 She was arrested for selling and transporting marijuana in 1993, and agreed to act as a confidential informant for Arizona law enforcement. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for informant

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of informant was in 1641

Rhymes for informant

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Browse Nearby Words

informal planning
informant
in forma pauperis
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Cite this Entry

“Informant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/informant. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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informant

noun
in·​for·​mant in-ˈfȯr-mənt How to pronounce informant (audio)
: one who informs against another
specifically : one who makes a practice especially for money of informing police of others' criminal activities

More from Merriam-Webster on informant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about informant

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